1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to retaining walls and, more particularly, to an interlocking segmental retaining wall.
2. Description of Related Art
Retaining walls having been used in landscaping and construction for many years. Retaining walls are used to support or retain soil, or its equivalent, in place. Retaining walls are also used to enhance the appearance of the surrounding area.
Retaining walls are constructed in many different ways. For example, wooden beams may be utilized. However, one of the most popular, and aesthetically pleasing forms of constructing a retaining wall involves the use of segmental blocks. The blocks may be stacked one on top of the other to form a pattern on an outside face of the retaining wall. It can be very time consuming and tedious aligning numerous blocks to form the proper pattern in the retaining wall. In addition, designers of retaining walls are constantly striving to construct retaining walls providing greater strength to support a greater weight. A retaining wall is needed which provides enhanced structural support and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Although there are no known prior art teachings of a solution to the aforementioned deficiency and shortcoming such as that disclosed herein, prior art references that discuss subject matter that bears some relation to matters discussed herein are U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,761 to Rossi (Rossi), U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,288 to Borcherdt (Borcherdt), U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,898 to Beretta (Beretta), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,216 to Sievert (Sievert).
Rossi discloses dry-mounted construction elements for use in a retaining wall. Each element has a bottomless container having vertical partitions that are disposed to delimit a large front space which serves as a flower pot, and at least two smaller rear spaces which serve as root cavities. The construction has a rear portion which has a notch disposed on each upper side edge of the container, and two small cavities or spaces behind the notches. The elements may be stacked in a vertical offset by placing an extension on a top element into a slot on a bottom element. Although Rossi discloses a plurality of notches for aligning and stacking the blocks on each other, when the blocks are used in a curved wall, there are gaps between the blocks at the front of the wall, which is a serious disadvantage. Additionally, Rossi discloses a complicated series of openings within each block, which can be very costly to manufacture.
Borcherdt discloses a retaining wall constructed from conventional concrete building blocks. A sheet member having protrusions is used to align and interlock the building blocks together. The sheet member may be used as a tie-back, such as for anchoring the retaining wall to backfill material. However, Borcherdt does not teach or suggest a plurality of lugs and indentations for aligning the blocks. Borcherdt merely discloses utilizing a sheet member for aligning and interlocking the blocks together. Additionally, Borcherdt does not teach or suggest stacking the blocks in a vertical offset, which is necessary to increase the overall strength of the retaining wall.
Beretta discloses a retaining wall having a series of blocks. Each block has a cambered front with tapering side walls. Each side wall has a portion radiused to the front, with mutually opposite insertion-coupling members and seats for interlocking with an adjacent block. Additionally, each block has an abutment on an upper portion of the block for engagement with a supporting element defined on a lower part at the front of an adjacent block. However, Beretta does not teach or suggest interlocking and stacking the blocks in a vertical offset, which would be advantageous in providing a stronger retaining wall.
Sievert discloses a retaining wall having a plurality of composite masonry blocks. Each block has a block body having an irregular trapezoidal shape. The block has a front surface, a back surface, an upper surface, a lower surface and a first and second sidewall. Each sidewall has a first and second part. The first part of the sidewall extends from the block front surface towards the block back surface at an angle of no greater than ninety degrees in relationship to the block front surface. The sidewall second part adjoins and lies between the first part and the block back surface. In addition, the block also has a flange extending from the block back surface past the height of the block. However, Sievert does not disclose a block having a void. Additionally, Sievert does not teach or suggest utilizing an extension and slot for interlocking and stacking the blocks in a vertical offset.
Thus, it would be a distinct advantage to have a retaining wall which is simple to construct and which provides greater support, while maintaining the aesthetic beauty of the segmental block pattern. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a retaining wall.
In one aspect, the present invention is an interlocking segmental retaining wall having at least a first row and a second upper row resting on top of the first row. Each of the rows includes one or more blocks. Each of the blocks includes a block body having a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall forming a void within an interior area of the block. The walls have an upper surface and a lower surface. Each block also includes a plurality of lugs located on the lower surface of the block adjacent to the void and a lug indentation located on the upper surface of the block adjacent to the void. The lug indentation is sized to accommodate at least one lug from an upper block of the second row. Each block also includes an extension located on a bottom portion of the back wall of the block and a slot located on an upper portion of the back wall of the block. The slot provides a support for the extension of an upper block from the upper row of the retaining wall to rest. When stacking the blocks on top of each other, a lug from the upper block is inserted into the lug indentation of the lower block and the extension of the upper block rests on the slot of the lower block.
In another aspect, the present invention is an interlocking segmental retaining wall having at least a first row and a second upper row resting on top of the first row. Each of the rows includes one or more blocks. Each of the blocks includes a block body having a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall forming a void within an interior area of the block. The walls have an upper surface and a lower surface. Each block also includes a plurality of tabs located on the upper surface of the back wall adjacent to the void. The plurality of tabs are vertically extended from the upper surface of the back wall. Each upper block is positioned on top of a lower block of the first row by positioning a tab of the lower block within the void of the upper block against a lower inner side of the back wall adjacent the void.
In still another aspect, the present is an interlocking segmental retaining wall. The wall includes a first row of segment blocks with a plurality of lower segment blocks. Each of the lower segment blocks includes a left side wall, a right side wall, a front wall, and a rear wall, forming a central void in each block. Each of the walls has an upper surface. The rear wall also has a lateral slot in an upper rear portion forming a cutout step at the back of the block and a lug indentation located on a front side of the upper surface of the rear wall adjacent to the void and laterally centered between the left side wall and the right side wall. The wall also includes a second row of segment blocks having a plurality of upper segment blocks. Each of the upper segment blocks includes a left side wall, a right side wall, a front wall, and a rear wall, forming a central void in each block. Each of the walls has a lower surface. The rear wall includes an extension that extends downward at the back of the block beyond the lower surfaces of the front and side walls. The rear wall also includes first and second lugs located on a front side of the lower surface of the rear wall adjacent to the void at the right and left edges of the void. An upper block is laterally centered over two lower blocks by placing one of the lugs of the upper block in the lug indentation of a lower block.